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Shahbugh Uprising: People, Power and Politics

The war crime tribunal has already given verdict against war crime of Bachchu Razarkar as death penalty and Razarkar Quader Molla as life imprisonment. The people welcomed the verdicts of Bachchu Razakar. But hearing the verdict against Razarkar Quader Molla, people of Bangladesh astonished as like me. The angers broke out when the bloggers and online activists took places at Shahbugh intersection protesting the verdicts and demanding death penalty to Razarkar Quader Molla.

Thousands and thousands people gathered at Shahbugh and sat down to hear death penalty of war criminals including Razakar Quader Molla. Shahbugh creates a history to rethink the relation between People and Power & Politics.

05 February 2013, Tuesday:Quader Molla handed life term : The international crimes tribunal on Tuesday sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla to life term imprisonment for committing mass murder and rape during the country’s War of Liberation in 1971. A three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2 delivered the historic judgment against Quader, an assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, in the crowded courtroom at Old High Court building in tight security.

Freedom Fighters, Citizen frustrated: Freedom fighters, cultural activists and people from different sections expressed frustration at the international crimes tribunal’s verdict against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla and demanded capital punishment for the crimes he had committed in 1971. The citizens in their reaction said that to the verdict had disappointed them saying that the tribunal had given Quader Molla lighter punishment compared to the crimes had had committed.

Rokeya Kabir, Women Freedom Fighter said, ` the punishment had been lighter considering the offenses Quader Molla had committed during the War of Liberation. We did not get justice’.

Anwar Hossain , Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University said, `the verdict has frustrated me. Five of the six specific charges have been proved against Quader Molla. The crimes he committed against humanity, including killing, massacre and rape, have been proved beyond doubt. I am disappointed after hearing that he has been handed life term imprisonment’.

Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu, Cultural Activists and Freedom Fighter said, who have been campaigning for the trial for long, expressed his disappointment soon after the verdict was pronounced by the tribunal and said, `We did not expect this verdict as the charge of murder of poet Meherunnesa against him as been proved.’ ‘We are disappointed as the tribunal did not order his execution. But we uphold the dignity of the tribunal, We have no confusion about the proceedings. The prosecution should appeal against the verdict.’

Sultana Kamal, An lawyer and Executive Director, Ain O Shalish Kendra said, ` I did not comments until see the full text of the judgement.’

Abu Sayeed, a security officer at the Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council office said, ` I had witnessed how Quader had killed freedom fighters and innocent people at Mirpur during the war. He must be hanged.’

Shilpi Rahman, service holder and resident of Shyamali area said, ‘The verdict is not acceptable.’ Dhaka University student Tareq Mahmud, said, ‘The hearts of 16 billion people were broken by the verdict.’ Rickshaw puller Shahajan Khan of Shahbag area feared that the other accused might be given lighter punishments like that of Quader Molla.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Bangladesh: Life Sentence in Bangladesh War Crimes Trail, The New York Times: A war crimes tribunal on Tuesday sentenced a senior leader of Bangladesh’s biggest Islamist party to life in prison, in a trial that reopened the wounds of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war………Critics accuse the prime minister of using the tribunal as a political weapon against opposition parties.

Bangladesh Islamist sentenced to life in prison for war crimes, Reuters: A Bangladesh war crimes tribunal sentenced a senior leader of the country’s biggest Islamist party to life in prison on Tuesday, the second verdict in trials that have reopened wounds about the country’s independence war and sparked riots.

VOA: Bangladeshi activists shout slogans as they celebrate outside the International Crimes Tribunal where leaders of the country’s largest Islamic party the Jamaat-e-Islami party are on trial in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb. 5, 2013.

Bangladeshi Tribunal Convicts Islamist Leaders for War Crimes, VOA: A special court in Bangladesh has sentenced a senior Islamist opposition official to life in prison for his role during the country’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.He is the first politician to be convicted by the controversial tribunal, which is trying those suspected of war crimes during the nine-month conflict that killed about 3 million people. Authorities say the Islamist leaders collaborated with the Pakistani army to commit atrocities during the war. International rights groups have said the tribunal’s legal procedures fall short of international standards. And Islamists say the tribunal was set up to target the government’s political opponents.

Bangladesh politician jailed for war crimes: Abdul Qader Molla, senior Jamaat-e-Islami party leader, sentenced to life for crimes against humanity during 1971 war: AL JAZEERA: A Bangladesh war-crimes tribunal has sentenced a senior leader of the country’s biggest Islamist party to life in prison, the second verdict in trials that have reopened wounds about the country’s independence war and sparked riots. Abdul Qader Mollah, 64, was found guilty on Tuesday of charges including murder, rape, torture and arson during Bangladesh’s war to break away from Pakistan in 1971………………But critics say she is using the tribunal against members of the two biggest opposition parties, the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami. Begum Khaleda Zia, Hasina’s arch rival and leader of the BNP, has called the tribunal a “farce”. The ruling Awami League party has rejected accusations that the tribunal is biased but it has been criticised by human rights groups for failing to adhere to standards of international law. Awami League leaders said on Tuesday they were also displeased over the tribunal’s verdict. “It did not reflect people’s expectations,” Qamrul Islam, state minister for law, said.

Strike over war crimes trial hits Bangladesh:Associate Press (AP) through Yahoo News: A Bangladeshi tribunal has sentenced a leader of the country’s main Islamic party to life in jail for his role during the independence war against Pakistan in 1971. The tribunal pronounced the verdict Tuesday against Abdul Quader Mollah in a packed courtroom at the High Court premises in Dhaka. Mollah was indicted last year on six war crimes charges, including mass murder, conspiracy and instigation in 1971. A former party member was sentenced to death last month.

Riots hit Bangladesh ahead of war crimes verdict: AFP through The Hindustan Times: A man was burnt to death as riots rocked Dhaka ahead of a verdict on Tuesday against a senior Islamist opposition official accused of genocide during Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. Abdul Quader Molla, 64, assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, could be sentenced to death by the controversial International Crimes Tribunal following charges of rape, genocide and murder. Jamaat announced a nationwide strike on Tuesday after the tribunal on Monday announced the verdict would be delivered the following day. Jamaat warned it would resist at any cost a “government blueprint” to execute its leaders………Both Jamaat and the main opposition BNP have labelled the cases “show trials” aimed at barring the leaders from upcoming polls. International rights groups have questioned the proceedings.

Bangladesh: Opposition party chief given life sentence for war crimes: The Independent, UK: The Bangladeshi government has deployed its paramilitary Border Guard on the streets of Dhaka after a war crimes tribunal convicted a leading member of the country’s main Islamic party of five offences of crimes against humanity during the country’s war for independence in 1971. Abdul Quader Mollah, an assistant general secretary of the Jamaat-e-Islami party – part of the main opposition alliance – was sentenced to life imprisonment in a packed court room in Dhaka. A death sentence had been expected, but Toby Cadman, an international human rights barrister who was part of Mollah’s defence team, said that he was “appalled” by the decision. “This has very little to do with justice and the whole process has been tainted by allegations of judicial and prosecutorial misconduct,” he said.

BBC: Supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami have staged protests in Dhaka

Bangladesh: Abdul Kader Mollah gets life sentence for war crimes: BBC: A war crimes tribunal in Bangladesh has found a leader of the main Islamist party guilty of crimes against humanity during the war for independence from Pakistan in 1971. Abdul Kader Mullah of Jamaat-e-Islami, who denied all the charges, was sentenced to life in prison. Official estimates say more than three million people were killed in the war. But the trial has sparked protests from supporters who accuse the government of pursuing a political vendetta. Jamaat has called a national strike for Tuesday, and clashes between police and protesters broke out in Dhaka and several other cities………Bangladesh government figures estimate more than three million people were killed during the independence war, although some researchers put the figure at between 300,000 and 500,000. [BLOGGER NOTE: BBC intentionally put the ill-motivated red-marked figures. The picture which has been used in news is totally fake which misinterpreted the situation. There have not made any protest in Bangladesh from Jamaat-Shibir]

Bangladesh jails Islamic party leader for life: sentencing of Abdul Quader Mollah for role in independence war against Pakistan in 1971 sparks clashes in Dhaka, The Guardian: A Bangladeshi tribunal has sentenced a leader of the country’s main Islamic party to life in jail for his role during the independence war against Pakistan in 1971. The tribunal pronounced the verdict on Tuesday against Abdul Quader Mollah in a packed courtroom at the high court in Dhaka. His Jamaat-e-Islami party had ordered a general strike that shut down schools and shops and halted most traffic in Dhaka………. International human rights groups have raised questions about the conduct of the tribunals, including the disappearance of a defence witness outside the courthouse gates. Jamaat-e-Islami was a key partner in the former government of Khaleda Zia, a longtime political rival of Hasina. Zia has called the tribunal a farce, while Hasina has urged Zia to stop backing those she says fought against independence.

Bangladesh war crimes tribunal sentences Islamic party leader to life in jail, sparking unrest, The Washington Post: DHAKA, Bangladesh — A Bangladeshi tribunal prosecuting cases stemming from the 1971 independence war sentenced a leader of an Islamic opposition party to life in prison Tuesday, sparking street clashes with police that killed two people and injured dozens more. Opposition leaders have criticized the war crimes trials, held 40 years after the country won independence from Pakistan, as an effort to weaken challengers to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, and human rights groups have raised concerns about their fairness. In a packed courtroom at the High Court in Dhaka, Judge Obaidul Hasan pronounced Abdul Quader Mollah guilty of killing a student and a family of 11 and of aiding Pakistani troops in killing 369 others. Defense lawyer Abdur Razzaq said he will appeal the verdict.

ONLINE MEDIA MADE A REVOLUTIONSome Blogger and Online Activists became frustrated hearing the verdict against Quder Molla and decided to protest with near and there friends. They wrote Facebook status to join the protest against the verdicts. Hundreds of the associated friends gathered in front of the National Museum, Shahbugh and organized a human chain protesting the verdicts. People joined the human chain spontaneously and it crossed thousands. Then the organizers inspired to march towards the Shahbugh intersection to create a road blockade. After reaching the march in Shahbugh intersection, the march found more and more people joined in the road blockade and an increasing trends also found.

The students from different identities joined as individual in the road blockade and the history created. The students and youths lighted in the candles and made a circle in the Shahbugh intersection. They declared that they will not return home without getting capital punishment of war criminals including Adul Qader Molla. After hearing the news of road blockade in Shahbugh through Television, blogs, facebook; people from all corners of Dhaka city joined in the road blockade and joined in the voice to demand capital punishment of war criminals.

07 FEBRUARY 2013, THURSDAY

Special Rapporteur Christof Heyns. UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

UN human rights experts urge Bangladesh to ensure fair trials for past crimes, UN News Centre: 7 February 2013 – Two independent United Nations human rights experts today stressed that justice for past crimes in Bangladesh requires fair trials, after voicing concern at recent sentences, including the death penalty, handed down in cases that did not ensure due process. The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh recently sentenced Abdul Kalam Azad to death, following a trial conducted in absentia that did not provide for all the guarantees of a fair trial and due process, states a news release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

08 FEBRUARY 2013, FRIDAY

MASS RALLY & PUBLIC MEETING

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INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

People from all walks of life went to the demonstration

BBC News:Huge Bangladesh Rally seeks death penalty of war crimes: Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis have joined protests in Dhaka to demand the death penalty for a political leader convicted of war crimes. Protests have grown since Abdul Kader Mullah was given life on Tuesday for crimes including torture, murder and rape during the 1971 independence war.

CYBER WAR: The bloggers and online activists attacked cyber criminals who were trying to mislead the uprising using blogs, twitters, Facebook and mobile phone. The cyber criminals created some controversial pictures and speechs and circulated it virtual world to mislead the people. The online activists attacked these cyber criminals through explaining the real situation.

The activists of Shahbugh Uprising prepared a dummy hanging stage in Shahbugh and a few people made a dummy execution of the hanging trial. The cyber criminals circulated a news editing the picture by Photoshop that a people died by dummy hanging trial stage. The cyber criminals circulated another fake picture where a description were given that a women police were raped by student wings of government.

10 February 2013, Sunday:Theuprising passed its 6th consecutive days at Shahbugh intersection. More and more people joined at the uprising and an increasing trends of people’s participation is found. Students of different schools, colleges and universities from Dhaka and elsewhere in the country took part in the movement. People from Chuadanga, Kushtia, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Barguna and several other districts also joined the protest.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked the youths for raising voice against 1971 war criminals, and said her government would translate into action the oath thousands of protesters took at the Shahbagh grand rally on Friday. Speaking in parliament, Hasina said the tribunals will deliver judgments in line with the law, but they should also consider the people’s expectations while giving verdicts on war crimes cases.

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“Seeing the anarchy of Jamaat-Shibir activists, many people thought Jamaat-Shibir to be the dominating force in the country. But the Shahbagh movement has shown that the pro-liberation people are the dominating force and that Jamaat-Shibir are just a parasite in the society”. – Mokarram Hossain Shuva, a protester and blogger.

“Our predecessors have done their job by freeing the country. Now it is our turn to eliminate the anti-liberation forces from Bangladesh.”– Kajal Abdullah, an organiser of the movement.

Interpreting the proposed amendment, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed told, “the government tables today a proposal for amending the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act-1973 to provide for appeal against inadequate sentence in war crimes cases. Finalised yesterday, the proposal also envisages hearing and disposal of an appeal within 60 days from the date of its filing with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.”

Young Journalists have been staging a sit-in in front of Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, barely 100 metres away from the Club, over the issue. The young protesters say they would press on with the demonstrations until the Press Club was purged of collaborators of the West Pakistani troops in the 1971 Liberation War. They demanded that non-journalist individuals, public relation officers, ministers and individuals belonging to other profession be stripped of their Press Club memberships. It was proposed that senior journalists be provided with memberships instead. The young journalists demanded that the existing organisational structure at the Press Club be done away with in favour of a new one, which can allow easy access for genuine journalists seeking membership.

11 February 2013, Monday: The uprising spent 7th consequent days and youth and students including guardians from all corners joined in the uprising to express solidarity.

Today cabinet approved an amendment of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) act and parliament will now take the amended act for consideration in the current session. Once the Act is amended, it will pave the way for the prosecution to appeal against the verdict that gave life sentence to Jamaat-e-Islami’s Abdul Quader Molla. At the moment, the ICT Act does not allow the prosecution to seek a review of any conviction. It can only appeal if a tribunal acquits a suspect for crimes against humanity.

Pro-government activists and other Bangladeshi people gather to protest as they demand the death penalty for Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah in Dhaka. -AP Photo

DAWN.COM: Bangladesh approves law to swiftly execute war criminals: DHAKA: Bangladesh’s cabinet approved on Monday changes to war crime laws to ensure opposition leaders on trial for alleged atrocities during the nation’s 1971 independence war can be swiftly executed if convicted………………..Eight other Jamaat officials, including its head and deputy head and two senior officials of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), are also being tried by the tribunal. Most of the cases are at an advanced stage. Both Jamaat and BNP have labelled the cases “show trials” aimed at barring the leaders from upcoming polls. International rights groups have questioned the proceedings. The life term for the Jamaat-e-Islami party leader triggered nationwide protests with Jamaat rejecting the verdict and its supporters clashing with police, resulting in at least four deaths. The government says the trials are needed to heal the wounds of the nine-month war in which it says three million people were killed, many by pro-Pakistani militia whose members allegedly included Jamaat officials.Mujibur Rahman, the father of the current prime minister, had planned to put alleged war criminals on trial before his assassination in a coup in 1975, which Hasina says was masterminded by war criminals.

12 FEBRUARY 2013, TUESDAY

3 MINUTES SILENCE

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INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Hundreds of thousands of people take part in a seventh day of protest calling for quick executions of the 10 alleged war criminals currently being tried on such charges as genocide and rape, on February 11, 2013 in Dhaka. Bangladesh’s cabinet approved on today changes to war crime laws to ensure opposition leaders on trial for alleged atrocities during the nation’s 1971 independence war can be swiftly executed if convicted. — AFP Photo

DWAN: Clashes over war crime trials hit Bangladesh capital: DHAKA: The editor of Bangladesh’s leading daily was injured Tuesday as fierce clashes broke out in Dhaka between police and supporters of the largest religious party which is demanding a halt to war crimes trials. The protesters hurled home-made bombs and attacked vehicles with bricks as police fought back with rubber bullets and tear gas in Dhaka’s busy Karwan Bazaar and Motijheel commercial districts, police and witnesses said. Motiur Rahman, the editor of the mass circulation daily Prothom Alo, was injured after he was caught in the clashes near his office in central Dhaka, the daily said, adding his conditions was now stable……………………he opposition has called the trials politically motivated, designed as part of a wider vendetta against their leaders. Rights groups have questioned the fairness of the hearings, saying the laws and procedures under which the opposition leaders are being tried fall short of international standards. The trials have triggered deadly protests by Jamaat supporters across the country, leaving at least seven people dead and scores of policemen injured since last month. The government says the trials are needed to heal the wounds of the nine-month war in which it says three million people were killed, many by pro-Pakistani militia whose members allegedly included Jamaat officials.

Many of the people directly or indirectly / so called intellectually tried to add more and more demands in this uprising. But the young cyber activists did not give the ear to these conspiracies. They replied to keep focus in the major demands.

13 FEBRUARY 2013, WEDNESDAY

NEW PROGRAMME

Courtesy: প্রজন্ম চত্ত্বর – শাহবাগ

NEWS UPDATE

ICT law amendment bill tabled, BDNEWS.Com : The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2013, proposing changes to Section 21 (Right of Appeal) of the present law to provide equal rights of appeal to both defence and prosecution against the verdicts, has been tabled in Parliament.

Molla, Kamaruzzaman stripped of Press Club membership, BDNEWS.Com: The Managing Committee of the National Press Club on Wednesday cancelled memberships of Jamaat-e-Islami’s assistant secretary generals Abdul Quader Molla and Muhammed Kamaruzzaman, committee member Farid Hossain said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

udge Nizamul Huq presides over the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which was created in 2010 to try war crimes suspects. The tribunal has been widely criticised as being a political tool for the ruling Awami League government to target its opponents.—AP Photo/File

Dozen injured in Bangladesh war crimes protest, DWAN: DHAKA: Clashes rocked the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka’s main commercial district on Wednesday as police battled with protesters demanding a halt to the country’s war crimes trials. At least a dozen people were injured by rubber bullets during the clashes, Dhaka Medical College emergency officer Robiul, who uses one name, told AFP.Police and witnesses said the clashes at Motijheel commercial area, home to top banks, the main stock market and insurers, began after the supporters of Bangladesh’s largest religious party Jamaat-i-Islami tried to hold marches. They torched a bus and attacked vehicles with police reacting by firing rubber bullets, witnesses said.

15 February 2013, Friday

A crucial 11th day of uprising spent today. The organizers of the uprising

Blogger Rajib Haider Shuvo, Courtesy: BDNEWS.COM

declared at 06 pm a reschedule time frame (03 pm to 10 pm of each day) for continuing the protest. Major leading groups of the uprising took the decision, but some protesters criticized the decision. A rally rounded the areas of uprising demanding to withdraw the decision. In the meantime, a sad news spread out to protesters that a blogger named Rajib Ahmed Shuvo alias Thaba Baba (blog:নূরানী চাপা সমগ্র) brutally killed at Mirpur, Dhaka. Hearing the news, the organizers re-scheduled the protesting programme as usual for continuation.

16 February 2013, Saturday

NEWS UPDATE

The risers of Shahbugh demanded to ban Politics of Jamat Shibir and called the nation to prevent the hartal declared by Jamat on next Monday wearing the black badge to protest killing of Shaheed Rajib. The risers also called the nation to sing the national anthem tomorrow at all educational institutions raising the national flag.

17 February 2013, Sunday

The National anthem ‘Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomay Bhalobashi’ was sung throughout educational institutions in Bangladesh on Sunday to express solidarity with the protests at Shahbagh.

The National Flag was raised after the singing of the national anthem at 10:00am. This happened after a call by the protestors of Shahbagh.

The Shahbagh protests rolled into the 13th day. It has become the practice at Shahbagh to begin the morning with the singing of the national anthem. The protests appears to be intensifying after one of its front-ranking activist, blogger-architect Rajib Haider was murdered on Friday night. Haider’s family and friends blamed the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami for the murder.

NEWS UPDATE:

BDNEWS24:Defying Jamaat’s strike: Shops and business establishments will remain open and public transport will operate normally during a nationwide strike called by the Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday, associations said. ::: Shahbagh’s martyr goes home : The first martyr of the Shahbagh movement has gone back home on Sunday, reminding all that pen is often mightier than sword.Rajib Haider, architect by profession and blogger by passion, did not swing sticks or swords or brandish guns.But his words and logic were powerful enough to provoke the kind of extreme reaction that led to his brutal murder on Friday night. ::: Ghulam Azam case hearing: The first war crimes tribunal on Sunday began hearing the closing arguments in the Ghulam Azam’s case with the prosecution taking the lead.::: 9 Shibir activists nabbed: Police nabbed nine Islami Chhatra Shibir activists including its unit president for Dhaka Metropolitan(South) from Keraniganj over allegations of trying to foment trouble.::: Rajib monument at Shahbagh: A temporary monument is expected to be raised at Shahbagh in memory of Rajib Haider, whose murder appears to have intensified the protests.::: জামায়াতের বিচারের পথ খুলল: মানবতাবিরোধী অপরাধে অভিযুক্ত ব্যক্তির পাশাপাশি দল বা সংগঠনের বিচারের সুযোগ রেখে আন্তর্জাতিক অপরাধ আইন সংশোধনের বিল পাস করেছে জাতীয় সংসদ। একইসঙ্গে ট্রাইব্যুনালের রায়ের বিরুদ্ধে আসামির পাশাপাশি সরকারেরও আপিলের সমান সুযোগ রাখা হয়েছে সংশোধিত আইনে। রাষ্ট্রপতির অনুমোদনের পর আন্তর্জাতিক অপরাধ (ট্রাইবুনাল)(সংশোধন) আইন ২০০৯ সালের ১৪ জুলাই থেকেই প্রযোজ্য হবে। ::: সুমনের গানে ‘শহীদ রাজীব’: স্বাধীনতাবিরোধীদের ফাঁসি ও রাজনীতি নিষিদ্ধের দাবিতে শাহবাগ আন্দোলনের ‘প্রথম শহীদ’ রাজীব হায়দারকে নিয়েও একটি গান লিখেছেন কলকাতার সংগীত শিল্পী কবীর সুমন। ::: 70 MPs in Shahbagh solidarity: Seventy Members of Parliament on Sunday expressed solidarity with the ongoing movement for death to all war criminals at the capital’s Shahbagh.